Total births
4,360
Girls' name · since 1880
Elmira
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 4,360 babies named Elmira, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #7598
- among girls today
- 4,360
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 57%
- more common than other girls
Elmira currently ranks #7598 among girls' names in America, with 4,360 babies recorded since 1880.
Elmira has 4,360 recorded births among girls since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #7598 as of the latest data, more common than 57% of girls, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #7598 among girls today
- 4,360 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 57% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Elmira is currently the #7598 girls' name in America, more common than 57% of girls - 4,360 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #7598
- among girls today
- 4,360
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 57%
- more common than other girls
Elmira vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#7598
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 57% of names given to girls today.
1920s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Elmira was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
122 babies were named Elmira in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
How Elmira compares
4,360 Top 14% higher than 86% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Elmira's all-time total is 11x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Elmira | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,360 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 122 | 48 | 19,840 |
Elmira's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Elmira's SSA record in two at 1942 and the more recent half accounts for 26% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 74%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1974, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1921 peak of 122, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Elmira at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1921
Current rank
#7,598
Active since
1880
Elmira popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1921)
- 122
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Elmira by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Elmira's strongest decade.
903 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Elmira births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 211
1880s
211 births
- 1890s 308
1890s
308 births
- 1900s
1900s
389 births
- 1910s
1910s
819 births
- 1920s
1920s
903 births
- 1930s
1930s
520 births
- 1940s
1940s
390 births
- 1950s 332
1950s
332 births
- 1960s 180
1960s
180 births
- 1970s 87
1970s
87 births
- 1980s 32
1980s
32 births
- 1990s 26
1990s
26 births
- 2000s 19
2000s
19 births
- 2010s 88
2010s
88 births
- 2020s 56
2020s
56 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 903 births (21% of all-time use).
How Elmira compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Elmira's total volume
Elmira vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Elmira by state
Where Elmira concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 286 | 6.6% |
| #2 | Louisiana | | 136 | 3.1% |
| #3 | Alabama | | 132 | 3.0% |
| #4 | Mississippi | | 126 | 2.9% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 122 | 2.8% |
| #6 | Texas | | 86 | 2.0% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 39 | 0.9% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 37 | 0.8% |
Pennsylvania share of Elmira's total US births 6.6%
Even split
286 of 4,360 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 21 reporting states.
Elmira appears in 21 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Elmira? ▼
Elmira has been given to 4,360 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #7598 as of the latest data. 122 babies were born in 1921, its single highest year.
When was Elmira most popular? ▼
Elmira was most popular in the 1920s decade with 903 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Elmira most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Elmira are Pennsylvania (286 births), Louisiana (136 births), Alabama (132 births).
How long has the name Elmira been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Elmira since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Elmira? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Elma, Elmer, Elmina, Elmyra, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Elmira's data
- Elmira's decade-level peak was the 1920s (903 total births); usage has since declined to 56 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Elmiras (286 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Elmira
Nearby Names Like Elmira
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Elmira
Elma Girl
#4561 21,703 births
Elmer Girl
1,753 births
Elmina Girl
#10280 834 births
Elmyra Girl
537 births
Elmarie Girl
272 births
Compare Elmira side by side: Elmira vs Elma Elmira vs Elmer Elmira vs Elmina
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Elmira
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Elmira: #7598 Girls' Name - 4,360 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/elmira. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Elmira draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.